With the year 2021 all but wrapped up, Xiaomi is ending the year on a high by showing off a bunch of new products that has everyone buzzing. At its event in China, the brand unveiled everything from the latest Xiaomi 12 series, the Watch S1, Buds 3, and even the latest MIUI 13. Here’s a roundup of everything Xiaomi announced at its event last night.
Xiaomi 12 series
Xiaomi’s flagship series is official, and it includes the Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi 12 Pro, and Xiaomi 12X. Notice the missing ‘Mi’ in the name scheme? As is the case, the Pro variant gets the best features like 120Hz display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, 12GB of RAM, 50MP primary camera, a four-speaker system tuned by Harman Kardon, and 120W fast charging support.
All three smartphones look the same with a sleek punch-hole design, and a large camera bump at the back. The 5G phones also run Xiaomi’s newest MIUI 13 UI, which too was announced at the event. But more on that below. Prices for the Xiaomi 12 series start at ¥3,699 (approx ₹43,400), and go up to ¥5,399 (approx ₹63,300) for the Pro. The smartphones have been launched in China, but there’s no word yet on an international launch.
MIUI 13
Alongside the new phones, Xiaomi also took the wraps off MIUI 13, its most advanced custom skin yet. The new UI brings in a host of new features and improvements, starting with a new font called ‘MiSans’ for a more comfortable reading experience. There are also a bunch of new preloaded dynamic wallpapers and themes for a bit of personalising.
Widgets are back under the spotlight this year, and MIUI 13 gets rich new widgets with a range of personalisation options. Xiaomi also claims MIUI 13 is up to 26 percent more fluid than its predecessor, and up to 52 percent better in the way third-party apps are handled.
Stable version of MIUI 13 will roll out for the Xiaomi 11 series by January-end, but in China. Globally, users should start getting the update sometime in Q1, 2022.
Xiaomi Watch S1
In addition to the new phones, Xiaomi also announced its latest smartwatch, called the Xiaomi Watch S1. The company claims that the new wearable is designed for a stylish, smart and active lifestyle. Featuring a stainless steel body, it comes with a 1.43in AMOLED touch display, and a 470mAh battery that is said to last up to 12 days on a single charge.
The smartwatch can track over 117 sports modes, and is also 5ATM waterproof. Prices start from ¥1,049 (approx ₹12,300).
Xiaomi Buds 3
TWS earbuds have almost become a necessity for anyone on the move, and now they have a new product to choose from. The new Xiaomi Xiaomi Buds 3 offers active noise cancellation at just ¥449 (approx ₹5,200).
The buds use a triple mic system to cancel out up to 40dB of noise. There’s also a transparency mode, which is really helpful when walking on the streets. The built-in battery can last up to seven hours with ANC off, which can extend up to 30 hours with the charging case.